Water drain for spin basket type washing machines



July 7, 1953 J. c. WORST 2,644,326

WATER DRAIN FOR SPIN BASKET TYPE WASHING MACHINES Filed June 25, 1952 Rif A oowo o o) 0 0'0(- 0 o o '0 (o oqpuo' a /7 9 lb 2 H g s A?Inventor-E His Abbot-neg.

Patented July 7, 1953 UNITED i STATES ATENT OFFICE WATER DRAIN FOR SPINBASKET TYPE WASHING MACHINES Joseph C. Worst, Trenton, N. J., assignorto Gen- Y eral Electric Company, a corporation of New York ApplicationJune 25, 1952, Serial No. 295,492

The present invention relates to clothes washing machines of the spinbasket type wherein the clothes are washed and rinsed in the basket andthe basket is rotated to extract the water from the clothes. Theinvention is especially useful in such washing machines wherein theseveral operations are performed automatically improved construction andarrangement for con-' trolling the draining of the washing machinewherein the draining is effected by gravitythus avoiding the use of theusual drain pump and wherein the drain valve is operated in a simplemanner by the weight of the water in the spin basket.

According to my invention, I provide a drain control valve whichcontrols directly a drain opening in the clothes washer tub and connectsuch valve to be actuated by vertical movement of the spin basket, thespin basket being resiliently supported so that it moves vertically by apredetermined amount when it is filled with water.

In the drawing, the figure is a sectional view of a clothes washingmachine embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, I indicates the outer casing, Z the tub whichis suitably supported in the outer casing as indicated at 3, and 4 thespinbasket of a clothes washing machine. In

the spin basket is an agitator 5 which is oscillated suitable mechanismis disclosed in the patent to" Woodson, No. 2,526,444, patented October1'7, 1950, assigned to the same assignee as is the present invention.Between the casing of mechanism 8 and tub 2 is a suitable flexible sealwhich may comprise a corrugated flexible diaphragm 9 having its endsclamped to a flange on tub 2 and to the mechanism casing as is indicatedat I and II Basket 4 and agitator are supported 2 Claims. (Cl. 68-23) Aby mechanism 8, the basket, agitator and mechanism forming a unitarystructure.

In carrying out my invention, I support mechanism 8 by yielding meanswhich permits it to have a limited vertical movement. For this purpose,I employ preferably a series of circumferentially spaced springs I2,three for instance, which at one end are attached to the bottom of tub 2and at the other to the end of radially projecting arms I3 fixed to thehousing of mechanism 8. Tub 2 is provided with a drain opening I4through which water may drain by gravity and for controlling opening I4there is provided a flexible cup-shaped valve I5 carried by an arm I6which in turn is attached to the mechanism housing as is indicated at H.

When basket 4 is empty, the parts stand in the positions shown in thedrawing, drain valve I5 being open. When water is supplied to thebasket, the added weight causes the basket and mechanism to movedownward against the action of springs I2 to close drain valve I5.Springs I2 are of a strength such that valve I5 will be closed somewhatprior to the time the basket is filled to drain openings 5, additionalmovement after the valve is closed being taken up by flexing or yieldingof the valve. For example, the valve may close initially upon completionof approximately three-fourths of the total vertical movement of thespin basket. The valve will be held closed by the weight of the water inthe spin basket during Washing and rinsing operations. When the basketis rotated to extract the water from the clothes, discharge of waterfrom the basket through opening 6 serves to decrease the weight of thebasket permitting the basket and. mechanism to be moved upward bysprings I2 to open the drainvalve.

My invention is well adapted for use in an automatic washing machinewherein the washing operations and the spinning operations are effectedby the closing of an electric switch actuated by the pressure of anaccumulation of water in the bottom of tub 2. Such a mechanism isillustrated, 20 being an electric switch in the washing machine motorcircuit which is closed by downwardmovement of a flexible cup 2|. Cup 2Iis biased upward by a spring 22.

In operation, after basket 4 is filled water overflows through openings6 and as soon as the overflow is suificient, the weight of the Water oncup 2 I causes it to move downward to close switch 29. This mayautomatically start the washing cycle effecting closing of thewatersupply valves and starting of the washing machine motor as is now knownin connection with the operation of automatic clothes washing machines.As is clear, drain valve [5 will be automatically closed and opened bythe filling and emptying of basket 4 as the automatic washing cycle iscarried out.

By my invention, I am enabled to dispense with the usual drain pump andempty the tub by gravity through the use of a simple drain valvestructure. And my invention fits readily into an automatic washingmachine control system. A flexible cup-shaped valve is of advantage inthat it is simple in structure, flexes readily after it is seated, andis not likely to get out of order or to become fouled with lint or otherforeign matter in the water being drained past it.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. In a clothes washing machine, a tub hava drain opening, a spin basketand operating mechanism yieldingly supported in the tub for limitedvertical movement with respect thereto under the weight of water in thebasket, and a vertically yielding valve carried by said operatingmechanism and movable therewith for closing said drain opening.

2. In a clothes washing machine, a tub having a drain opening, aflexible cup-shaped valve for covering and uncovering said opening,mechanism-including a spin basket to which said valve is connected, andspring means yieldingly supporting said mechanism in the tub forvertical movement of the mechanism relatively to the tub under theinfluence of the weight of water in the basket for moving said valve tocause it to cover and uncover said drain opening.

JOSEPH C. WORST.

N 0 references cited.

